


tête-à-tête

by Rivendell101



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Sad and Sweet, Soft Sweet Pea (Riverdale), minor cheryl blossom bashing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-08 05:47:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17975600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivendell101/pseuds/Rivendell101
Summary: The Pretty Poisons go after the Serpents. Jubilee Jones is not pleased.





	tête-à-tête

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place during and after the events of 3X13. Listen to Wasteland, Baby! by Hozier during the middle scene for full effect!

A knock on the door to Sweet Pea’s trailer has Jubilee’s eyes rolling, irritation bubbling in her chest as she rolls off his bed. The boys were supposed to be back over an hour ago. She should have known better than to trust them with a simple run to the diner when they get distracted by the strangest things when left alone together.

She rips open the door, a look of fond annoyance on her face. “Where the fuck have you two been? I was—” She cuts off abruptly when she sees him there, anger melting into horror.

He grins at her, wincing a little as it pulls at the cut on his lip, dark bruises bleeding beneath his skin. “Hey, Baby,” Sweet Pea murmurs, bracing himself against the door-frame. Fangs hovers just a step behind him, just as bruised and bloody, though he shoots her a cheeky grin over Sweet Pea’s shoulder.

“Sweets?” Jubilee finally moves, stretching up on her toes and reaching for him. He ducks his head to meet her, her hands cupping his face as she smooths his hair away from his eyes, revealing a particularly nasty bruise on his temple. “What the hell happened?”

Her finger ghosts along a nasty bruise forming under his eye and he winces again, but doesn’t respond. Sweet Pea clenches his jaw, avoiding her gaze, but sinks further into her touch when she starts to pull away. One of his hands settles on her waist, his fingers trembling as they slip just beneath the hem of her shirt, needing to feel her skin.

“We were leaving the diner,” her gaze shifts to Fangs as he clears his throat, wiping at the blood drying beneath his nose, “when we ran into the  _Pretty Poisons_.” He turns and spits on the ground outside the trailer and it’s tinged red, making her lips purse.

“Toni and Cheryl attacked you?” Jubilee’s hands drop from Sweet Pea and he grunts in disapproval until she slips an arm around his waist, letting him lean on her as she tugs him into the trailer, Fangs close behind. Sweet Pea sucks in a sharp breath as her shoulder presses against his chest and her concern grows.

Sweet Pea shakes his head. “Toni wasn’t there,” he tells her, still avoiding her gaze. Fangs slams the door shut behind him and rubs at his shoulder.

Jubilee glances between them. “But Cheryl was?” Sweet Pea’s fingers squeeze around her hip and Fangs nods, staring down at his boots and scuffing at the floor. “That bitch.” Jubilee squeezes her eyes shut, swallowing down her anger for the time being. There’s more important things to worry about right now. She latches onto Sweet Pea’s elbow, leading him towards his bed. “Sit down,” she tells them, running her hand down Sweet Pea’s cheek one last time before releasing him. “I’m gonna get some ice.”

* * *

“So they just jumped you?” she asks, sitting cross-legged on Sweet Pea’s bed, facing Fangs as she dabs at one of the long cuts down the side of his face. Jubilee feels sick as she realizes they must be scratches from fingernails, and once again has to bite back her rage. She glances up at Sweet Pea leaning against the wall, silent as he watches her work. He hasn’t said a word since his greeting earlier, and she knows that’s probably all he  _will_  say until they’re alone. “No prompting at all?”

Fangs looks at her sheepishly, wincing as she cleans the cut on his cheek. “We, uh, we  _may_  have said some things.” His smile is apologetic as he sends her those puppy dog eyes, and Jubilee narrows her brows at him.

Her hands drop back into her lap. “Like what?” She looks between the boys and they both have the good sense to look a little ashamed of themselves. Sweet Pea stares down at the ground, refusing to meet her eye, so she turns back to Fangs.

He knows better than to bullshit her. “Asked if they wanted a pillow fight,” he tells her slowly, unsubtle in the way he avoids her gaze, playing with the pack of frozen corn in his hands. “And maybe some other stuff too.”

Jubilee sighs, raking a frustrated hand through her hair. “Fangs,” she starts, sending him a half-hearted glare. He should know better than that. They both should.

“I make jokes when I panic!” Fangs argues, and she rolls her eyes as she peels the back off a band aid, sticking it down just above his brow. “And we were surrounded. I didn’t know what to do!” He sounds thoroughly ashamed of himself already, and Jubilee decides to skip the sexism lecture for now. Clearly neither are in the mood for it, and they’ve both had enough tonight. She’s not going to make that worse. Not tonight.

Jubilee winces as she tilts his chin towards her, twisting his head around to look at a bruise forming on his cheek. “A few ill-timed jokes doesn’t warrant this,” she murmurs, wincing when Fangs flinches away from her. “Jesus, they did a number on you two. Your faces are fucked.”

Fangs glares at her at she runs a finger down the bruise on his face. “Gee, thanks, Jubilee, that’s really appreciated.”

“You’ll forgive me for not coddling you, Fogarty.” She grabs the bag of corn out of his hand and presses it to his cheek until he covers it with his own hand, grumbling under his breath. Jubilee ignores him as she wets a cotton swab with hydrogen peroxide.

He sends her another cheeky look, a sudden brightness to his eyes. “Right, you’re saving that for Pea— _ouch_!” Jubilee rolls her eyes again, holding him still as she pressed the cotton swab to his temple, dabbing at the dried blood sticking to his skin.

She allows the jab, knowing it’s only a mask. He’s bruised and bloody, but trying to keep his smile and brush it off. Jubilee glances at Sweet Pea, finding him still leaning back against the wall, keeping up his tough guy façade even though it’s just her and Fangs now. She shouldn’t be surprised. Sweet Pea’s biggest fault has always been his pride.

It doesn’t take her long to finish cleaning up Fangs. His face is the worst of it and she doesn’t doubt he’ll be sore in the morning, but he should be fine. “Go sleep it off,” she tells him, nudging his knee with her foot. He grumbles as he stands, swiping the bottle of offered Tylenol out of her hand. “It’s not pretty, but you should be fine.”

Fangs sends her a dopey look. “Thanks, Little Mama.”

Jubilee stares at him blankly. “Never call me that again.”

“You got it, Angel.”

Fangs ambles over to the futon in the corner, dropping down face first and making himself comfortable. Jubilee shifts on Sweet Pea’s bed, fiddling with a roll of bandages until Fangs starts to snore, always one to fall asleep quickly.

As soon as he’s out, Jubilee turns to Sweet Pea, sending him an imploring look. He meets her gaze and straightens against the wall, dark eyes following her movements. “Come here.” She reaches for him, wiggling her fingers slightly. He might not like it, but she does have to take a look at him. He’s been favoring his left side more than normal, a little unsteady on his feet, and that’s her biggest concern.

He clenches his jaw, always the defiant one. “I’m fine,” he murmurs, stubborn as ever.

Jubilee rolls her eyes, lips pursing in irritation. “Sweet Pea.” His gaze drops to the floor at the sharpness of her tone, a clear warning that she’s not going to tolerate his wounded ego tonight. He shoves away from the wall, gritting his teeth as he tweaks his side. It doesn’t take much coaxing to get him onto his bed, and Jubilee sits up on her knees, throwing one leg over his lap to straddle him, keeping him still.

“Shirt off,” Jubilee tells him, shoving his vest and flannel off his shoulders. He exhales sharply through his nose but complies, yanking his undershirt off without a word. The tips of her fingers ghost down his left side and Jubilee frowns when she sees a bruise forming there. “Ribs hurt?” She glances up at him, but Sweet Pea’s eyes are squeezed shut.

He shakes his head. “No.” His eyes snap open, a hiss rushing out between clenched teeth as she presses her palm against his side. Sweet Pea sends her a nasty look and she rolls her eyes.

“Liar.”

Sweet Pea’s hands settle on her hips, his breath ruffling her hair as she continues to prod at his side, finding where it hurts the most. “I’ve had worse,” he reminds her quietly, grunting when she presses against a sensitive spot. His fingers squeeze around her, hands sliding higher to rest on her waist beneath her shirt.

Jubilee glances up at him and tries not to shiver at the look in his dark eyes. Her hand slides up his arm until she’s cupping his cheek. “I know you have.” Her lip quirks up at the edge as she smooths his hair away from his face, tracing the bruise under his eye. “That doesn’t stop your rib from being cracked.”

He sighs, leaning into her hands as his shoulders slump. His eyes flutter shut once more as she grabs a cotton swab and the peroxide, beginning to clean up the cuts on his face. Jubilee murmurs apologizes when he winces, but otherwise it remains quiet between them. His fingertips stroke down her sides, Sweet Pea pulling her nearly flush to his chest as she works. Occasionally, his grip tightens, but he doesn’t complain, and that’s better than she would have expected.

It takes a while to clean him up. He isn’t as cut up as Fangs, but she’s concerned about his ribs and has to stop several times to let him breathe. Eventually it gets done and Jubilee tosses the last of the bandages into the waste bin. She doesn’t bother offering painkillers, knowing he won’t take any, and instead reaches up to cradle his face in her hands, mindful of his bruises. “Oh, Sweets,” she says softly, running her fingers through his hair.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbles. His hands squeeze her sides, blunt nails digging into her skin. Sweet Pea lets out a shaky breath from between clenched teeth. “ _Shit_.”

Jubilee’s hands still in his hair. “For what?” He shakes his head, and she ducks down to meet his eyes, a hand on his chin to keep him still. He won’t look at her. “Sweet Pea?” Jubilee’s grip on him tightens as he starts to pull away and she tilts his head to meet her gaze. “Hey, hey, look at me.”

His eyes meet hers briefly before flicking away. Sweet Pea shifts her on his lap, fingers flexing, about to move her until he changes his mind. A harsh bark of laughter suddenly spills from his mouth, loud in the otherwise quiet room. “This is fucking pathetic,” he spits, anger offset by the gentle brush of his thumb against her waist.

“It’s not,” she reassures him, stroking her fingers down his cheeks. Jubilee finally gets him to look at her and the anger and pain in his glossy eyes makes her heart break. “It was a dirty fight. You and Fangs were outnumbered and Cheryl had the advantage.” Jubilee draws him close to her, arms curling around his shoulders. “It’s easy to look tough when you find someone who won’t hit back.”

He flinches and guilt swells in Jubilee’s chest. It’s harsh, bringing up his step-father like that, but she needs him to know none of this is his fault.

“I didn’t,” he tells her a beat later and his hands tremble against her sides. “Hit back. I would never lay a hand on any of them.” It comes out in a rush, and his eyes search hers almost desperately. His grip on her is so tight it’s almost painful, but she ignores the slight sting.

Jubilee shakes her head. “I never thought you did.”

His fingers twitch against her and his breath is shaky against her, his entire body beginning to tremble. “Jubilee,” Sweet Pea chokes out, eyes deep and dark enough to drown in.

“You’re okay,” she coos, drawing him towards her, pressing her temple to his. Sweet Pea’s arms wrap around her fully, crushing her against his chest so there’s no space left between them. “You’re okay.” Jubilee’s arms wrap around his shoulders, fingers tracing shapes across his naked back as he begins to shake. “I’ve got you.”

Jubilee presses her lips to his cheek, trailing butterfly kisses across his jaw and stroking his hair as he trembles against her. She rocks the two of them slowly, murmuring nonsense into his ear.

“I couldn’t do anything,” he tells her, breath shuddering against the side of her neck. Jubilee tightens her grip around him, nuzzling his exposed ear. “They wouldn’t stop and I couldn’t— _I can’t_.” He sucks in an angry breath between his teeth. “She’s like my fucking sister and I thought—” Sweet Pea shakes his head harshly, eyes squeezed shut tight when she pulls back to look at him.

She knows he means Toni. Sweet Pea would never admit it, but he’s always had a soft spot for her, ever since they were kids. He used to tell Toni  _everything_.

Jubilee gently turns him to face her, coaxing him to open his eyes as she murmurs his name. “Hey,” she whispers when he finally looks at her, “hey, this is not on you, okay?” Her hands slip back around to cup his cheeks, thumbs stroking his skin. “You didn’t do anything to deserve this.”

She leans in to press a chaste kiss to his lips before he can argue and Sweet Pea sighs. The tension drains out of him and he goes lax beneath her. Jubilee holds him for a long time, the two of them coiled around each other, the only sound in the room Fangs snoring on the futon. She peppers kisses across his jaw and down the side of his neck until his breathing evens out. Sweet Pea’s hands slide back to her waist, thumbs drawing circles against her soft skin as her fingers run through his hair.

Eventually, she guides him to lie back against the bed, only leaving him long enough to slip out of her jeans before curling up against his side beneath the sheets. Jubilee tucks herself beneath his chin, lips on his neck as she tangles their legs together, tossing an arm across his broad chest.

She’s awake long after he finally falls asleep.

Tomorrow she’ll have to have a long chat with Cheryl Blossom.

* * *

Jubilee’s already waiting in the empty classroom the Pretty Poisons have commandeered when Cheryl comes strolling in twenty minutes before a meeting between their members is supposed to start.

She stops short upon seeing the other girl sitting behind the desk at the front of the room, one leg crossed lazily over the other. “Jubilee,” she greets, taken aback by the other girl’s sudden appearance. Jubilee and Cheryl tended to stay out of each others way in the past.

“Cheryl.” Jubilee grins up at her, a little too wide and a little too sharp. She uncrosses her legs, heel clicking loudly against the floor as she leans towards the red-head. “I think we need to have a little chat.” Her expression turns serious and Cheryl purses her lips, crossing her arms and settling into that a familiar haughty pose.

“Did Jarhead send you?” she asks, condescending as usual, but Jubilee only blinks back at her slowly. Cheryl looks bored already, looking Jubilee up and down slowly, clearly unimpressed.

Jubilee cocks her head to the side, quirking a brow at the other girl. “You think I take orders from Jughead?” she asks, lips twitching in amusement. She stands slowly, straightening her jacket. She’s still shorter than Cheryl despite her heels, but Jubilee doesn’t need the height advantage.

Cheryl holds firm, eyes narrowing just a tick in annoyance. “What do you want, you shabbaroon?” Jubilee rolls her eyes at the insult and Cheryl takes a step towards her, ducking her head slightly to better meet Jubilee’s eyes. “Are you here to threaten me?” she asks, amusement clear in her tone. Cheryl sends her a smile that’s painfully fake, red lips stretched into a tight line.

“You know, I was never a fan of your pretentious, better-than-thou attitude,” Jubilee muses. She mirrors Cheryl’s crossed arms but keeps her body lax, shifting to rest her weight on one hip. “Do you have any idea what you’ve started?”

Cheryl didn’t grow up on the Southside like the rest of them, but even she should be smart enough not to start a territory war between gangs.  _Toni_  should know better than that. The Serpents have picked fights over less serious offenses in the past, and the only reason all hell didn’t break loose after last night is because the Serpents have a moral code.

The Pretty Poisons haven’t existed for more than two weeks, and Jubilee already doesn’t like what she’s seen.

Cheryl is quiet for a long moment before she shrugs. “The Pretty Poisons put some sexist Serpent scallywags in their places.” She looks so overtly pleased with herself over what she did and Jubilee has to swallow back her anger.

“You attacked two Serpents unprovoked,” she corrects, already tired of the other girl’s bullshit. “On the Southside that’s a declaration of war.”

Cheryl sends her a look that’s dripping with pity. “Oh, Jubilee,” she coos, closing the distance between them. Her smile is bright and sarcastic. “I think my Prettys can handle themselves,” Cheryl tells her, “unlike your rag-tag joke of a gang.” Jubilee huffs out a laugh, shaking her head. Cheryl’s smile drops and she moves to shove past her, knocking her shoulder against Jubilee’s purposely.

Jubilee snaps. She whirls, grabbing Cheryl by the shoulders and shoving her back against the wall of the empty classroom. Jubilee’s nails dig into her upper arms, pinning her in place. Cheryl gasps, but bites her tongue for once in her life. Rage flickers in her eyes, but Jubilee doesn’t give her a chance to run her mouth again.

“You’re lucky, Blossom,” Jubilee murmurs, voice low. “If you weren’t dating Toni, I’d have you on the ground.” She’s sick of Cheryl’s attitude. And more than that she’s tired of Cheryl’s blatant disregard for the Serpents after they took her in when she had no one. Jubilee’s forces the other girl to meet her gaze. “But if there’s a next time, Toni’s not going to be enough to save your ass. If you ever go after Sweet Pea or Fangs or any other Serpents again, I’ll make sure it’s the last thing you ever do.”

Jubilee leans in close, mouth near Cheryl’s ear. “Now I’m threatening you,” she whispers, grip tightening around Cheryl’s upper arms when the other girl finally starts to struggle. Taking a step back, Jubilee shoves Cheryl harder against the wall before letting go. Cheryl glares at her, but Jubilee only grins. “It’s not much fun when they fight back, is it?”

Cheryl stays silent, jaw clenched defiantly, though Jubilee can see the traces of fear in her eyes.  _Good_.

“Stay away from the Serpents,” she warns once more, sending Cheryl a sharp look before turning on her heel and leaving the room.


End file.
